Re: Atlanta Philosophical Societ on Death

Robert Owen (rowen@technologist.com)
Fri, 03 Dec 1999 15:54:31 -0500

Technotranscendence wrote:

> Robert Owen rowen@technologist.com wrote (both posts abridged):
>
> > Just wanted to mention a personal emotional catharsis: that
> > somebody, somewhere, is taking "death" seriously. A very
> > great relief from the strain of reading so many posts on its
> > technological evasion.
> ------------------------[Deletion]
> > This is not meant to be critical of List Extropians; simply a
> > rather straightfoward application of Occam's Razor:
> >
> > "Pluralitas non est ponenda sine neccesitate"
> >
> > Death is nature's way of quantitatively compensating for birth,
> > and I claim that the principle of parsimony requires no more
> > human beings than absolutely necessary.
>
> I don't think this a "straightforward application of Occam's Razor" so much
> as a misapplication of it. [Extended response deleted]

Dear Daniel,

My post was meant as gentle satire, but now I feel ashamed of myself because, as a result of taking it seriously, you argued so eloquently in behalf of your convictions.

Respectfully,

Bob



Robert M. Owen
Director
The Orion Institute
57 W. Morgan Street
Brevard, NC 28712-3659 USA